And now, something completely different from my typical reviews…
Mike Winder is a friend, so when he asked if I would take a look at his newest book (he’s written several, including Presidents & Prophets. The Story of America’s Presidents and the LDS Church
“It’s about guy stuff in the scriptures,” he told me, and he could not have given a more apt description.
Because that’s exactly what it is. At at time when people of faith often find their faith ridiculed, mocked, and dismissed, it was a refreshing look at the men (and women, actually) that inspired generations of boys and girls long before Batman, Superman, Iron Man or Captain America arrived on the scene.
Aimed at a younger crowd, Guy Stuff in the Scriptures Big Boats, Killer Weapons, Vile Villians, Quirky Verses, Manly Meals, and More!
(Aside: if the last three of those sound a little out of your experience from the Bible, it’s because they’re the product of the LDS faith’s modern revelation. The Book of Mormon is, according to the introduction, a “volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with ancient inhabitants of the Americas[.]” It was translated by Joseph Smith, and Mormons read and study it alongside the scriptures of the Bible. The Pearl of Great Price is similar, containing a “selection of choice materials touching many significant aspects of the faith and doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” Last, the Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of modern revelations to the prophets of LDS faith.)
While the Guy Stuff in the Scriptures is short (just 176) pages, full of illustrations, pictures, captions, and diagrams, Winder has stuffed it full of information, stories, and lists. Writing in a voice that speaks more to boys and girls and less to adults, Winder does a great job of retelling some of the great stories of the scriptures without all the “thees” and “thous” that make the King James translation language of the Bible often seem so archaic.
Chapters have titles like “Killer Weapons” (which includes David’s sling and Goliath’s sword), “Legendary Battles” (which breaks down the sheer destruction of the last stand of the Jaredites, as well as the angelic defeat of the Assyrians during Hezekiah’s reign over Israel), “Epic Journeys” (such as Mary and Joseph’s trip to Nazareth and Paul’s Journey to Rome), and “Beauties of the Bible” (because what guy is complete without a beautiful woman to fight for–though as Winder points out, Delilah may have been a beauty, but she was not a nice one).
Along with all that, Winder pulls out some of the more humorously written versus of the scripture, versus that read through modern eyes take a different meaning than originally intended. There are lists in here, of the tallest, oldest, wisest, youngest, strongest, most likely to be teased (a clue: it’s a tie between Dodo and Nimrod), shortest name, longest name, and so on. There are “Vile Villains” and “Scriptural Superheroes,” too.
Guy Stuff in the Scriptures is a fun look at some of the highlights of the Christian faith, with an emphasis on the LDS canon of scripture. It’s a fun and easy introduction to what can sometimes seem an imposing and intimidating task of scripture study. If you’ve got a young boy, or girl, in your house, I recommend this as a fun way to learn more about the people, places, and stories of the scriptures.
Religion
Covenant Communications Inc.
April 1, 2015
Paperback
176
Author Provided Copy
The scriptures are full of inspiration and guidance for today's troubled times, but they also contain gripping adventures, entertaining asides, and stuff that guys really like. From weapons and gadgets to food and fortune to humor and science and on to epic battles of good vs. evil, the words of the ancient prophets provide engaging accounts of real people who had faith in the midst of adversity. In Guy Stuff in Scriptures, popular author Mike Winder breathes new life into the gospel study routine by inspiring readers to view the standard works not as simple words on a page but as a treasure trove of stories, teachings, and adventures that are remarkably applicable in our day. He's convinced that as men and young men learn to have fun with the scriptures, they will find themselves drawn to their pages again and again.
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